


The sun burns brighter in the North

by Kulturschatze (Lolahct)



Series: From the Dragon's wife to the Lady wolf [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Elia's pov, F/M, I Don't Even Know, happiness for elia martell !!, pre-asoiaf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 12:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11486838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolahct/pseuds/Kulturschatze
Summary: A kingslayer and some northern lords save a princess.





	The sun burns brighter in the North

She felt nothing.Her body was numb,she couldn’t move.

She heard her daughter’s pleads and screams.She heard her son’s skull being crushed mercilessly against the stone wall.

Her body did not respond to her attempts at escaping.Her mind was empty.Running away would not save her from death,she was already dead in the inside.

She closed her eyes and waited for that beast of a man to crush her skull too,or worse,but she didn’t care.Not anymore did she care for anything.

 

_Aegon,Rhaenys..I’ll be there in a minute by babies.Mother is coming for you my loves…_

 

Tywin’s beast made his way toward her,the sound of his rough breath and laughter made her shiver,she waited for her fate.But nothing happened.

A loud commotion came to her ears,interrupting the Lannister’s dog’s actions.She snapped her eyes open to see two breathless young men entering the room,their swords in hands.That took her no time to recognised one of them,his golden hair and white cloak leave no place for  mistakes.

 _« Ser Jaime… »_ Her voice was barely audible

« Clegane leave.Now ! »

The beast exited the room,fuming but the young Lannister paid it to mind,instead he delicately helped her to stand up,his eyes full of regrets and grief as he fell on his knees.

« Princess,please forgive me… The king was to be deal with before but I should have made it in time to save you all -»

She interrupted him by shaking her head absently.  « Ser I owe you my life,even if now it means nothing for me now that my children have been taken from me. »

She turned her attention to the second man in the room,who was staring at the ravaged body of her baby boy, an expression of profound grief and anger painted on his young,yet stern face.

 

_I know this man…Lady Lyanna’s brother is it ? Eddard if my mind do not trick me._

 

Her thoughts were interrupted when a small man entered the room,a little black kitten following him.In his arms was her daughter’s tiny bloodied body.His stricking green eyes found hers and she saw tears in them.

« Princess Elia… » he said nothing more as he slowly rested the small body in her trembling arms.

 _« Papa please,papa help me !!! »_ Rhaenys’s pleads still rang in her ears as the crannogman spoke once more.

« we did not made it in time either… but lord Umber succeeded in capturing the monster who did this and locked him away.His fate is yours princess. » he explained quietly as she stared at her daughter untouched face,brushing one of her dark lock of hair away.

« She looks like she is sleeping isn’t it ? » speaking to herself,no one dared answering. « My little dragons were always so quiet and loving…Why ? Why did Rhaegar abandonned them ? »

Again no one answered.How could they ? No one ever knew what was going on in her late husband’s mind,not even his mother nor himself for sure.

 

_Rhaegar,I swear before the old gods and the news  that I will hunt you down in the seven hells at the instant my last breath escapes my body._

 

 

 ♦

 

« It is war Ned.This was necessary » the usurper’s eyes then found her,  « pity Clegane did not had the time to do all the work »

The words were enough to enraged the fulming Northern lords and soldiers in the room,including ser Jaime who did not leave her side since they saved her.

« It is not war Robert ! It is murder,Lord Lannister and Ser Clegane shall respond for their crimes before the gods,they were innocent babes robert ! I do not stand for this ! » the young Stark was trembling because of his anger as he stand face to face with the usurper.

« Murder you say ? When we will see what that son of a bitch Rhaegar did to your sister during this past year,you will come back here and spat on the remains of his dragonspawns ! » Baratheon was red from fury,his booming voice was echoing throughout the throne's room.

Elia caught a glimpse of her late good-father dead body beside the thrones.

 

_May he burns in the seven hells._

 

At her side she felt Ser Jaime stiffening and gripping his sword.She gently put a hand on his to calm him.He wanted to speak but her look dissuaded him.

 

_No,you will not kill two kings in one night._

 

« You are mad Robert.Mad.Anger blinds you but you’ll regret this,one day you will » Lord Stark quietly made his way back to his lords as the usurper started to throw to him all the possible insults he knew.

She wanted to speak,to scream,to take Jaime’s sword and put it through his neck and saw him suffer.But she barrely moved,her legs trembled below her and she felt herself tired.So tired… Her head ached so much that she could scarcely hear what Tywin Lannister was saying.

« …and the princess my king ? What do we do with her ? » his cold and calculating eyes were staring at her.

The usurper laughed « The dragon’s whore ? »

« We could end her miserable life your grace,she is of no use,even her body is ravaged and soiled by carring dragonspawns » one stormlander lords suggested as everyone laughed,except for the Northern lords and the kingsguard who was staring blankly at his lord father.

 

_Kill me now and be done with it,you already took everything from me._

 

« No. » Eddard Stark’s firm voice made her jump sightly « You will not touch her. »

Baratheon snarled arrogantly «  and what do you suggest Ned ? sending her to the wall ? I dare say that I prefer to see her dead then breathing.Maybe a sad accident during the night ? That would be such a shame» he looked at her like if she was the most disguting this he ever set his eyes upon.

 

_I wonder what  he did to Rhaegar’s body._

 

« You’ll not do such a thing.» With no other words Eddard Stark gently pressed his hand on her back and incited her to follow him,alongside his lords and Ser Jaime.

She remembered the young Stark quite well.Ashara danced with him during this cursed tourney where Rhaegar shamed her.He was such a shy and quiet boy,like his friend the small Reed.To be fair,he was the absolute contrary of his brother Brandon and his sister Lyanna,both dancing wildly and laughing like if they were in some taverns with the other northern lords,not that it did not pleased her,on the contrary Elia loved to see people happy,enjoying their time with their family and friends.The northerners were so close,even the simple soldiers and guards interracted fondly with the Starks which had made Elia mock the old stereotypes concerning the « savages » that inhabited the north of the Neck.

She remembered the young Stark turning red and his grey eyes lighting up when she had smiled at him during the feast.Something about him attracted her,the wolf’s charm perhaps ? That must have been what drove Rhaegar to kidnapp the poor 14 years old lady Lyanna.But now he was gone,and Elia did not put a thought on the Stark girl survival.

 

_So young Rhaegar,she was so young.Your ruined all our lives… your foolishness was beyond understanding._

 

Her mind turned toward her good-mother and brother,queen Rhaella and prince Viserys.What were they doing ? Was Dragonstone under siege ? Were they alive ?

Elia did not dare to ask.After all,her life no longer had any senses now.She took a last look at her babes’ bodies ,as lord Reed and lord Karstark respectfully wrapped them in black cloaks.Lord Stark promised her that they would be buried in a secured place,and she believed him.

 

_He is a honorable man.He should have killed me,after what the Targaryens did to his family.But he is no Robert Baratheon nor Tywin Lannister._

 

She felt his eyes upon her but she kept staring at Rhaenys and Aegon’s remains.She swore to all the gods that she would stay alive until the usurper and his Lannister dog died a painful death.

 

_Oberyn will burn from his desire to kill them all.Doran will likely plot some vicious plans and wait patiently to see it happen.I know my brothers well.I know Dorne better than anyone.Uncle Lewyn,Rhaenys and Aegon died but their memories will never. The Dornish will raise.We never bowed to the dragons,ever less to a foolish stag._

 

 

♦

 

The usurper wanted to humiliate her one last time by marry her away to the old and craven Walder Frey.He was close to get what he wanted when Eddard Stark stormed in the room and locked his eyes with his friend’s.

« The princess will collect all her belongings and get her way to the ship that is waiting for her outside the Red keep,and you will put an end to those stupid attempts to ruin her reputation.Before being Rhaegar’s wife,she is a princess of Dorne Robert,not one of your tavern whores. » his voice was made of steel and she found herself giving him a small smile of gratitude when he looked at her.

« And where would she goes ? Dorne ? » The usuper snorted « the fuckers fought for the Targaryens,and you want to give them a reward ? At the second she sets a foot in Dorne,they rise against me. »

« No,the princess will come to Winterfell,under my protection. »

The room went still.The silence was deafening until the usurper burst out a laugh.

« Oh little Ned,I didn’t know you liked this Dornish whore so much,I should have know after the tourney ,but still I thought you too shy to admit it ! » some lords followed him in his laughter but the lord of Winterfell was staring at the usurper with a blank face.

«I will marry the princess Elia and took her and the remains of her innocent children to Winterfell,where they would be put respectfully at rest.And for the sake of Lyanna Robert,I advice you to let me doing so. »

 

_Marry ? Wasn’t he bethroned to lady Catelyn Tully after Brandon’s death ? Hm.. it seems that this war had been murderous for everyone.._

 

Lord Arryn seemed to share her thoughs as he spoke up.  « The death of lady Tully was tragic,and indeed,left you without a prospect of marriage.But Ned,many lords of the North,Vale,Riverlands or even the Westerlands could suggest you more valuable and interesting match,and if I remember well,the princess Elia can no longer bear children, which is an obstacle now that you are lord of Winterfell. »

His words were true,the birth of Aegon left her half dead and bedridden for six months.An other pregnancy would kill her,and that idea left her numb.

 

_The sooner I die,the sooner I could see my babes._

 

The discussion went on for almost an hour,without any of them asked her for her opinion.They shouted,argued,some did in order to see her as dead as her children, some did to save her and took her to safety.To be fair Elia did not care a bit,she wanted to go back to the Water Gardens,swimmings in the pools with Arianne,Quentyn and Oberyn’s young bastards daughters, eating blood oranges with Doran and Mellario, laughing and running freely on the dornish beaches with Oberyn,Ashara and Arthur,the sun kissing her face. But she knew that she would have none of that,so she sat still,starring at the wooden table,wondering why her fate was so important for the young Stark,even if she had an idea.

« ..-No we will marry at Winterfell,not here »

« And I would spend one month travelling to the North only to see the dragon whore getting married again ? I don’t think so. »

« Then don’t. »

 It was his final words as he left the room abruptly.

 

♦

 

When he wrapped the grey Stark cloak around her frail shoulders,she never felt so warm.Back in Kingslanding she thought that the life in the North with Ned would be sad and lonely,like her  in the Red keep and Dragonstone with Rhaegar.But she was far from the truth.

She never felt so loved and respected since she left Dorne.Winterfell was a marvellous and old castle,perhaps even older than the old palace of Sunspear.It was full of secrets,and she knew that something magic was involved in the castle too when she explored it.It was after one of those explorations that she saw snow for the first time.It was cold and wet and yet so lovely,she didn’t dare to touch it until old Nan gently suggested her to catch some with her tongue,like Rhaenys would have.

She waited three month until her bethroned came back with his sister’s bones, her family,a bastard and the Dayne’s siblings.She would never forget the tears in Oberyn’s eyes. Tears of pain and anger.  « I thought they killed you too.. I will kill them all I promise » he told her when they hugged,and she nodded.

 

_We will brother.We will make them pay._

 

They spoke for hours together,arguing,shouting,trying to find a way to plan they revenge.Until her bethroned left the room quickly and came back with his bastard son,Jon. Not that she believed a word of it,she knew that the man was as virgin as a blushing maid,and that he would never so such a dishonorable thing.Doran seemed to share her thoughts as he looked calmly to the sleeping babe.

« Here is your vengeance my lords. »

Oberyn stared blankly at him,frowning then he understood.

« Rhaegar’s son.How could you even support the son born of the rape of your sister ? » he murmured.

« I promised Lyanna. »

Elia spoke ,softly «Rhaegar’s faults are none of Jon’s,no more than Rhaenys and Aegon were responsible for his acts.Jon is innocent,and I don’t want to see an other babe being crushed against a wall for being born a dragon. »

Her words shocked them all,but they understood.Since that day she made her way to the nursery everytime she heard Jon’s little cries.He was a quiet little pup,with all the Stark’s features,which would help to pretend he was Ned’s son.She could see a bit of Aegon in him,everytime she nursed him at her own breast like she did with her son. She liked to stoke his black hair softly between her thin fingers,while her bethroned silently observed her.Elia was aware that he thought she could hurt Jon,hurt him to avenge her babes.But she could never,never arm an innocent.That’s why,the morning of their wedding,she turned to him and gave him a small smile ;

« I will never hurt him Ned,never.At the second I will became lady Stark,he will became my son and I will love him as much as I loved Aegon and Rhaenys,I swear it. »

She never saw him so relieved and he gave her a warm smile in return which made him look so different then when he was wearing his solemn mask.It was at this moment she knew that life in the north would not be so dreadful.

They burried Rhaenys and Aegon,next to the bones of Lyanna Stark.Oberyn was at first surprised by the respect showed by the lord of Winterfell,and when Elia told him everything that happened during the sack of Kingslanding and after,she saw his eyes softening whenever he looked at her future husband.

« The Starks are honorable and good people,I am sure he will treat you better than any dragon. » Doran said the night before her wedding,and she approved,she knew he was right.

 

The ceremony had been calm and warm.The godswood of Winterfell was far more beautiful than the one in the gardens next to the Red keep.Almost all the lords of the North and some of Dorne were present when Ned plegded love and protection to Elia before the heart tree.There was no peering eyes,no spying snakes like when she married back in Kingslanding,and she realized why Ned had insisted to marry here,and she was grateful for it.

His kiss was shy but loving and she felt her heart swell,happiness overhelming her for the first time since the rebellion started.He told her,several days before,about his feelings for her.Feelings he held secret since the first time they saw each other at Harrenhal almost three years ago.  « I wanted to invite you for a dance but.. » « You were too shy » she had completed as she had taken his hand in hers.

The feast was a happy and loud affair,despite the loses and grief that both the North and Dorne went through the past years,the North having suffer more than any other kingdoms.It seemed that everyone had put their sadness aside and decided to have a good time.Elia was surprised,never in her life she would have thought to ever see so much northern and dornish lords getting along so well.In fact,her first wedding feast had been quite strange,as the king and prince Viserys did not even show up.

But tonight was different.Tonight she was no more Rhaegar Targaryen’s wife.She was Elia Martell,the wife of Eddard Stark,and never ever she will allow someone to take her happiness away again.

 A bedding ceremony was estimed unnecessary,and she was grateful for it,even if the fact that it was because they believed that her lord husband was like her, no longer a virgin as he had a bastard son , made her giggle.

 

_Oh gods,if only they knew…_

 

She loved the blush on Ned cheeks when she undoned her dress.She loved how clumsy and awkward he was in front of her.She loved the way he looked at her like if she was the most beautiful woman in the world.Rhaegar had never been like this,he took her during their wedding night without even looking at her in the eyes.

But tonight was different.Tonight her husband took his time exploring each parts of her body,kissing her stretchs marks from her pregancies,murmuring loving praises of her beauty,kissing her small breasts and kissing her lips so softly that she could have cry from being finally loved so much.

 

_I matter for him…finally someone will take care of me…_

 

Their lovemaking was slow,but full of passion,her eyes never left his ,as he rested his head against hers and kissed her nose,making her giggle happily.

« I will cherish and value you Elia,more than Rhaegar ever did.I know your true worth my sun,and even if you can not give me heirs it matters not.Your safety and happiness is all I wish for. »

This time she did not fought her tears and they hugged tightly as she cried, for what seemed hours,but she cared not.

 

_Her wolf will love her better than any dragon._

 

 

♦

 

When she first arrived at Winterfell,she had feared that the people might see in her the Targaryens that brought so much grief to their lord’s family,but it was far from the case.Here,the life was simple,she was free to go where she wanted,even without a guard.During her journey,Ned had send words to build a small but magnificent sept especially for her,as she would be the first woman who follow the faith of the seven to marry in the Stark family.And she was grateful for it,as she spent at least two hours per days ,praying for her children,her parents and her fallen uncle Lewyn.

Maester Luwyn and old Nan were the kindest people she ever met,and she liked to listen to the old woman’s stories,while embroidering next to the fire,and she enjoyed her talks with the maester who seemed to be the wisest man of these seven kingdoms.Old nan’s relative,Hodor ,warmed her heart with his smiles full of joy and innocence,everytime she walked by him in the courtyard,that’s why she always made sure he received some sweets everyday.Jory Cassel was a young man full of humor and gentleness,he often accompagnied her for her rides outside Winterfell,and had proved himself competent in his duty.And she even promised the blacksmith Mikken to have her brother sending her some of the best Dornish and foreign weapons,so he could study them.

During her two months of waiting for her husband,she get to speak with almost everyone in the castle and in town,and everyone seemed to like her.

 

_It is not Kingslanding,It is not that snakes pit of a city._

 

Her only reminder of her past life in the Red keep was her beloved daughter’s small black kitten,Balerion.She took him with her when she left the city and always kept him near her as he was one last part of her Rhaenys.

Arthur became her personal guard as the second he set a foot in Winterfell,following her like a shaddow and apologizing for his part in Rhaegar’s plan.His sister,Ashara took her role of lady in waiting once again,gratefully,and Elia was glad to have her dearest friend near her again.Ned suggested for her to take a second lady in waiting,a northerner this time,so she could thaught her about the North and its traditions,to which she had agreed without questions.Now Ashara and their new friend, Sybelle Locke, were the worst gossipers in the North.

After her wedding,her family remained for four months at Winterfell,making sure she was treated greatly and that the usurper and his dogs did not attempt to her wellfare anymore.Oberyn stayed a bit longer,travelling through the North to get to know it better, as it was now « his sister’s kingdom ».She was pretty sure he would come back home with an other bastard soon.

Chubby little Jon was almost seven months old when her family left,blabling and smiling at everyone,and she promised herself that she will one day take him to the water gardens to play with his adopted cousins.

 

_He will be happy.He will live and he will be loved._

 

 

♦

 

Benjen was heir to Winterfell because of her lack of pregnancy and she was sorry for it,as the young man longed for taking the black.She apologized to him once,but he had looked at her like if she was she craziest woman out there.

She loved Benjen like a brother,he was gentle and very smart,making her laugh everytime he saw her mood falling.He was also as protective as a wolf toward her.She understood why.The poor boy blamed himself days and nights for falling to protect his sister,that’s why he wanted so much to go to the wall.She knew that feelings,the failure to not being able to protect the one we love.She remembered Rhaenys’s pleads and Aegon’s cries when that beast took him from her arms.

Her wolf was always listening to her,not like Rhaegar who spent his days and nights locked in the library.No,Ned was here for her,offering her his rare and precious smiles,walking with her in the glass garden,swimming with her in the hot springs.It was strange,to be the object of someone affection,someone who was not part of the family.And all of this made Elia’s sorrow grew even more as she couldn’t give her husband a heir.Jon could not become a Stark,he was a Targaryen and his thrones was waiting for him.No,Elia wanted to feel a babe growing inside her,even if that would mean dealing with death.

She was not that frail princess, locked in the Red keep anymore,no she was lady Stark of Winterfell and the birthing bed did not frightened her any longer.

 

♦

 

The old gods and the news seemed to have heard her prayers,as Elia’s belly began to  swell when little Jon was eight months.The news overjoyed her and all the household,even if Ned appeared fearful.

« I will not die my wolf,or else I would hunt the gods down until they send me back to you » he had laughed and kissed and made love to her so passionately that day,that if she was not already pregnant she was sure she would get after that.

Oberyn made his way to her side at the second his received her letters,and presented her with his new bastard daughter,Elia,when he arrived with his paramour.Doran and Mellario’s letter was full of love but also always of concern because of her health but she knew that with Ned,Oberyn and maester Luwin at her side,death would not be so stupid to take her.Her pregancy went well,as Benjen and Hodor would always stole some of her favorite lemmon cakes from the kitchen,for her and look for her needs at any moment,like everyone else.

.And so,five months after her brother’s arrival,little Robb came to the world. He was a brown haired and blue eyed little baby,smaller than Aegon but he was healthier than both her first children.The birth was painful but she was bedridden for less than two weeks after,and she was strong enough to nurse her son herself too.Unlike Rhaenys’ and Aegon’s births this one did not weaken her,no this place made her stronger. Ned’s,Oberyn’s and Ashara’s tears when they held the new heir of Winterfell for the first time in their arms was enough to forgot her guilt toward Rhaenys and Aegon.

 

_My babes,I do not forget you,I never will…_

 

 

♦

 

The cold wind made her black hair dancing as she watched her children playing in the courtyard below her,Ned at her side.The gods blessed them with four other children after Robb,but the painful birth of her baby boy Rickon left her barren,not that she cared much now.All were either black or brown haired,tall with grey,brown or light blue eyes,their skins as pale as their father but their mind as sharp as hers and her brothers.

 

_Rhaenys and Aegon shall be there too._

 

She grew sadder when she saw her wild little Rickon playing with Balerion and Shaggydog.But she shook her head,it was part of the past now,but they were not forgotten,oh no.

She heard her husband laugh heartily when Robb and Arya ran after an ever so smirking Theon and Jon ,after they attacked them with some snow balls.Her amused eyes wandered to her singing daughter Sansa,who was brushing Lady’s fur with Meriah and the two years old Lewyn, the respectives bastards of Ashara and Jory Cassel and Arthur and Dacey Mormont.Bran on the other hand,was _trying_ to shoot with his new dornish arrow he received for his last nameday.

« Come on my love,you can do it ! »

Her babe looked at his parents and smiled sweetly and tried again.

Elia closed her eyes and breathed deeply.She was so happy.Never in her childhood she would have dreamed to marry in the North or have so many children,no she wanted to be queen like all the other little girls wanted.. _Well maybe not Arya…_

Now such thoughts made her shiver.Never,ever she would ever think to go back to the capital or bear the name Targaryen again.She was a princess of Dorne and the lady of Winterfell.She had five beautiful children,one adoptive son,two babes who were waiting for her in the afterlife and she had one Greyjoy ward she liked like a son,and who loved her like a mother in return.She had wonderful friends and subjects and the North gave her so much goods memories and good laughs,especially when her brother Oberyn and some Northern lord such as the Greatjon Umber and Maege Mormont,entered in some drink contest during feasts, and so much more…

No,Elia could never dream of something better.

She took a last look at her children before following her husband for a prayer in the Godswood.

 

_It was the Old gods who blessed me with my wolf pups I know it,so I will honor them until my last breath._

 

She saw Robb and Jon having a mockfight under Arya's and Bran's cheers and laughters.

 

_One day they will avenge their brother and their sister.Give us time Tywin,give us time and you will know the Stark’s and Martell’s fury,I swear it._

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Elia was born in 263 ac in this AU.  
> That's did not come out like I wanted but still... LET ELIA MARTELL BE HAPPY !  
> (concerning Robb's eyes color,he inherited Elia's father eyes as I always imaginated him having bright blue eyes)


End file.
